Expressway Foes Propose Park On Right-of-way

HAMPTON — John Garvin's compromise on the east-west expressway got a thumbs-up from four civic leagues Tuesday.

Garvin, who has opposed the expressway for 10 years, suggested last week that the land along the dotted line where city planners had envisioned the expressway be turned into a neighborhood park.

The park would be on 30 to 40 acres across Armistead Avenue from one end of the expressway under construction between Armistead and Big Bethel Road. Another piece of land would be purchased at King Street, intended to be the eventual east end of the highway now called the Hampton Roads Center Parkway.

Creating a park would preserve the land from development, allowing the city to build the road if area residents decide it is needed. It would also put the land to a good use for residents to enjoy whether the road is built or not.

Members of civic groups in Riverdale, Tidemill Farms, Harris Creek and Pasture Point all endorsed the park idea, while noting their continued opposition to seeing the road built.

The groups also agreed that a committee be set up to review the Comprehensive Plan every year, rather than waiting the traditional five years for the city staff to review the document.

The plan is the blueprint for how the city's roads, neighborhoods, parks and community facilities should be developed for the next 20 years. The current revision of the plan has been held up for nearly two years until a compromise on the expressway could be worked out between city planners and residents.

Though the groups endorsed the idea of the park, they made sure to point out they weren't supporting the expressway.

Linda McNeeley, who represents the Pasture Point Civic Association, said her group wanted to be certain the city explores the option of "double-decking" Mercury Boulevard for through traffic, or erecting an elevated expressway directly above the existing road.

Planning Director Joan Waclawski said there may be solutions in 10 or 20 years when the road might be needed that no one has yet thought of.

The group studying the plan is left with one major piece of negotiating before it can pass the plan on to the Planning Commission and the City Council.

The final stumbling block is whether to extend Clemwood Parkway to King Street as a new way to get to Langley Air Force Base and a possible final link of the east-west expressway.

Area residents are adamantly opposed to the connection. The group agreed Tuesday to try to set up a meeting with residents in two weeks.